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Better to be in Heaven

Posted by eph21920 on October 17, 2015 in Death, Eucharist, Faith, Family, Grace

Tonight at dinner, the conversation with my sister and mom reminded me of a video clip I had seen from the HUMAN movie. This is a collection of videos of people telling stories of their lives. We found it on YouTube and watched a clip that started with the man saying, “The magic moment that I had with my grandfather…” It was beautiful. Afterwards, my mom said that as soon as she saw those first words, she remembered her own magic moment with her grandfather. She told us the story. Her grandfather lived with her family after her grandmother passed away. He worked in the coal mines when he lived in Germany and suffered from “black lung disease” for a long time. He was mostly deaf and only spoke German. My mother thought about how lonely it must have been for him. She remembered the day when she was about 10 years old and her grandfather gave her a big hug and told her that it was better for him to be in Heaven. Of course, she argued with him, but he was insistent. My mom attended a Catholic school and the next day during Mass, a priest came and collected a consecrated host. My mother noticed this happening and recognized it as “viaticum” – Communion that is brought to someone who is dying. She told her friend that she thought the priest was bringing it to her grandfather. When she got home from school, her grandfather was no longer there. She learned that he had passed away and that the priest had indeed gone to the house, anointed her grandfather, given him the Eucharist, and was there when he died. My mom, sister, and I cried. It was sad for sure, but also a story of the gentleness and mercy of God as He prepared my mother and her grandfather for his entry to Heaven.

I Found God today in a beautiful story of passing from this world to the next.

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Back to the Cabin

Posted by eph21920 on October 16, 2015 in Family, Grateful, Happiness, Healing

It has been a wild summer for sure with too many medical issues happening back to back. I barely remember back to June when my parents and I were packing up to head to their cabin in the mountains for a little get away. We didn’t make it that day, and since then it has been one thing on top of another. The summer has come and gone without being able to spend any time up there. Today my sister had a doctor appointment to check the status of her broken leg. It was good news and bad news. The doctor said she is healing very well and could see new bone growth filling in the breaks. Unfortunately, she will be unable to put any weight on that leg for at least another 5 weeks. But, she spent most of the morning getting around on her walker hopping on her good leg – in and out of the doctor’s office, to lunch, and to the DMV to get a handicapped placard. She is getting stronger every day. We made our way to my parent’s house where my brother has been staying to help my parents while I have been with my sister. When we got there, my dad met us at the door. He had been to a couple doctor appointments since his pacemaker was implanted and expressed concerns about what he was feeling. Today he was happy to announce that he has decided that everything is working the way it should be working and he is not going to worry about it any more. He and my brother packed things up and headed up to the cabin for the weekend while my sister and I stay with my mom. It was so wonderful to see him full of energy and enthusiasm. I am very happy that he will actually be able to enjoy the place that he loves to be.

I Found God today in the happiness of my dad as he looks forward to a weekend away.

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Generous People

Posted by eph21920 on October 15, 2015 in Friends, Problem

I have been staying with my sister who broke her leg and trying to take care of some housework for her. We have been talking the past couple days about home improvements she would like to do. Of course, the list is longer than the time and finances. A friend of hers has been wanting to help her out. Today she got a call from her friend’s brother who is a plumber. He and his son, who is also a plumber, came over and replaced the leaky kitchen faucet. Then they checked out the toilet that has not been working properly. They said it really just needs to be replaced, so they are coming back in a couple of days to take care of that too. It was so nice of her friend and his family to be so generous to provide the items, their time, and their talents to make my sister’s life a little easier.

I Found God today in generous, considerate people.

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Found Lost Phone

Posted by eph21920 on October 14, 2015 in Problem, Stranger

It was a beautiful day outside today, so my sister and I decided to spend some time outdoors. We went to a local park that had a small lake. We stopped on the way and got some lunch so we could enjoy a picnic with a view. I loved spending a warm day in October in my shorts, barefoot in the sand, and sticking my toes in the water. We started following a dirt trail with the water on one side and a rocky, rooted hill on the other. We stopped to admire the scenery and as I looked around I saw a cell phone on the ground in among the rocks and roots. My sister picked it up and saw that it was still almost fully charged, so we figured it was lost not too long ago. We made our way back to the main paved path that was just up the hill and looked around. There were only a few cars parked here and there, and a smattering of people. We stayed in the area for a bit to see if anyone would come back looking for the phone, but no one did. We asked some people that we came across if they had lost a phone, but still no luck. My sister had the great idea to drop the phone off at the park ranger station at the entrance, so we headed out. We stopped at the little house and my sister brought the phone to the woman running the post. I could see them having the conversation and my sister clapping her hands. When she returned to the car, my sister told me that the woman said the people who lost the phone left just a few minutes before. They left their name and a phone number where they could be reached. It felt good to know that they would be reunited with their phone. I am sure they will be really happy. My sister and I talked about how much information we all have on our phones and how terrible it would be to loose them. We also were amazed at how incredible it was that in that large park, we would just happen to choose that small part of the trail, stop at the exact spot and take a look around right where the cell phone was.

I Found God today in being able to help someone find a valuable possession.

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Peaceful

Posted by eph21920 on October 13, 2015 in Family, Life, Peace

Today was pretty uneventful. My sister is able to work from home on her computer, so after spending last week working part time, she dove back into full time this week. She was very tired yesterday, but did much better today. I puttered around the house doing things that needed to be done, cooked, and took a walk in the beautiful weather. I chatted with my other sister on the phone about her job search and working at her farm. My nephew who is enjoying his first real job went to work this afternoon. My sister and I talked to my parents and brother tonight. My mom went out to lunch with friends. My dad and brother went out for Chinese – I do not like that type of food, so it was a treat for them. I was happy to hear that they were doing well and just enjoyed their day. So, while nothing particularly exciting happened, it was nice that it was quiet and non-chaotic. I even took a nap.

I Found God today in a peaceful day.

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An Awesome Therapist

Posted by eph21920 on October 12, 2015 in Grateful, Healing, Humility

Since my sister broke her leg a few weeks ago, she has been visited by an occupational therapist. When we first saw him, it was at my parents home. Since that first time, he has been caring, humble, and respectful. He has encouraged my sister the whole time and helped her solve problems with only her safety in mind. When she was getting ready to move back to her house, he met us there and walked through several issues and concerns. My nephew was living at the house on his own for the first time and when we got there, the house was in a shambles. The therapist never batted an eye or made a comment. He even made the effort to have a conversation with my nephew and remembered it the next time he saw him. Now that my sister has been home for a week, the therapist felt that she has made great progress and is good to go, so today was his last visit. He sat on the floor as usual and gave her some final words of advice and reassurance. He also let her know that she can call him if there is anything else she needs help with. As he worked with my sister, she knew and trusted that he always had her well being as his top priority. We were sad to say good-bye to him, but grateful for all we learned from him in many different ways.

I Found God today in a very caring and humble therapist.

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A Good Day

Posted by eph21920 on October 11, 2015 in Faith, Family, Healing

This morning my sister got all ready and we both went to church. When we have gone out until this point, we have used her wheelchair so she doesn’t have to slowly hop her way around on crutches or the walker. But today we brought along her walker which seems to be the easiest device for her to maneuver. Everyone was very patient and helpful – opening doors, finding us a good place to sit, and even having Communion brought to her so she didn’t have to try to make her way to the front of the church. I loved being able to share the worship time with her. The other day, we were talking about how we – people – are always searching for that “thing” that fills us, makes us joyful and complete. I have noticed that for the most part, when we discover that we can have a relationship with Jesus Christ – God in the flesh – our searching comes to an end. When the priest was giving his homily, he mentioned how at one point Jesus asked his apostles if they were going to leave Him. They responded that there was nowhere else to go. They knew that He was the one to lead them to eternal peace and joy. So true, I thought. We can try all kinds of “things” to fill the void in our hearts – I have tried as well – but only God can provide the deep comfort and love that we crave. My sister did her best at standing and sitting at the appropriate times. By the time we got home, though, she was pretty exhausted and ready to rest. However, the physical therapist came over before she had a chance to. She brought my sister a different kind of walker that she can use to carry things around with. Come dinner time, my sister and I cooked together and she even set the table. She is doing such a great job. Later we talked to my parents. My brother is staying with them while I am with my sister. They had a good day as well. They all went to church early and then out to breakfast. In the afternoon, my mom and my brother went to a concert. They were all doing very well. I was so glad to hear that.

I Found God today in continued improvements and a good day all around.

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Fall Colors

Posted by eph21920 on October 10, 2015 in Creation, Family, Grateful

Today my sister and her husband decided they had enough working on their farm for a while and wanted to head out to enjoy the beautiful Fall season. I was glad that they asked if my other sister and I wanted to come along. The Fall color changing season is so short and the weather was going to be just about perfect. My other sister decided to stay home and relax after her busy week of making it home and starting back to work. When my sister and her husband arrived, I gladly climbed in the back seat of the SUV and just allowed myself to go along for the ride without driving or making any decisions. It was a nice change. Since I moved, I have not been in this area for the Fall season in a very long time. We headed up to the high country, avoiding the well traveled highways and popular hot spots. The higher we got, the more we saw the golden leaves glow in the sunlight among the deep color of the evergreens. As we went up the winding road, there were swatches of yellows and oranges here and there. We searched for a spot to pull over to take some pictures. Then we went around a bend and a large meadow opened before us. We pulled over in the large parking area and went for a nice hike taking photos along the way. It was wonderful to spend the day enjoying the gorgeous creation of nature and the company of my sister and her husband.

I Found God today in relaxing as I took in the beauty of creation.

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A Girl With Leukemia

Posted by eph21920 on October 8, 2015 in Children, Grateful, Sick

Tonight my sister and I were just getting ready to turn in for the night when the doorbell rang. We were both surprised to hear it so late at night. When we opened the door, there was a young girl and a woman standing there holding a container of sherbet. It was my sister’s neighbor. She said she had an overloaded freezer and thought we might like the ice cream. She was also wondering how my sister was doing. As they chatted, I realized that this was the neighbor whose daughter has Leukemia. She just turned 16 and has been battling the disease for 2 years now. They told stories of how the girl had been so sick that she had a feeding tube as well as oxygen. My sister said the last time she saw her, she could barely pick her head up. But here she was standing with her mom and talking about the ordeal that she has been going through. She said she lost all of her muscle mass but is getting better. She said that she was a recipient of a “Make A Wish”. Her and her family went to Sand Diego, spent time on the beach, and got to swim with dolphins. Her mother said she got a workout pushing her around in the wheelchair. She has a tutor right now for her studies, but is looking forward to going back to school part time next year. My sister said that they actually moved out of their house for almost a year as the girl was treated in the hospital. While they were away, some friends who were keeping an eye on the house did a form of their own “Extreme Home Makeover”. Both the girl and her mother had amazing attitudes. They seemed to accept the illness, but at the same time they are not letting it defeat them. They are grateful for what they have right at this moment and looking forward to future happenings.

I Found God today in generous people to help a sick child, and amazingly grateful attitudes in hard times.

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Unexpected Cross and Love Locks

Posted by eph21920 on October 7, 2015 in Family, Love

My sister who broke her leg started back to work part time this week. Luckily, she works from home most of the time, so she can remain as comfortable as possible and not worry about driving. However, she had a big meeting today in her office downtown, so we got up early to make the trip. My other sister met us at the house and I drove us all there. We got my sister with her computer, wheelchair, and crutches all situated with her fellow workers and my other sister and I went to explore the city. I was really enjoying looking at the different architecture, buildings, and scenery, and took many pictures. As we were walking by one windowed skyscraper, I noticed ropes hanging down and the area blocked off. I looked up and saw window washers balanced vicariously on their seemingly small scaffolding. It was an interesting view, so I took a picture. When I looked at it later, I realized that the photo included a reflection of a large crane that was working across the street. The tall vertical crane and the horizontal scaffolding made a cross. It was pretty cool. As we crossed a bridge over the water, we stopped to take in the scenery. I looked down and noticed some padlocks attached to the bottom of some of the bars. I remembered hearing a story recently about “love locks” that were left on bridges. The couple may have their names or initials engraved on the lock, then secure it to a fence or rail and throw the key – if there is one – into the river. It symbolizes their permanent love for one another. I looked closer and sure enough, there were initials, hearts, and names engraved on many of the locks. One lock was even in the shape of two hearts. I know that it is a problem in some areas and can be considered vandalism, but I thought about the couples who had pledged their love there and thought it was pretty sweet.

I Found God today in some surprises and reminders of love.

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